Why does a baby hiccup after breastfeeding: causes and what to do?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Every woman wants to know what motherhood is. Most importantly, you need to take this very seriously and understand that a child is not a toy. Every parent is concerned about the he alth of their child. He takes even the smallest things with great concern. Particular attention is paid to the stool and the body's reaction to food intake. At the same time, one of the most common is the question of why the baby hiccups after breastfeeding. It would seem that there is nothing terrible here, but for many it causes great concern. Let's look at the main causes of the problem and find out what actions need to be taken to help the baby.

Symptomatics

How to understand that a newborn baby hiccups after breastfeeding? Let's dwell on this in more detail. There will be no particular difficulties with this, since this process in babies proceeds in the same way asin adults. There is a contraction of the chest, accompanied by a characteristic sound. As a rule, young children behave very calmly, but in some cases they may experience spitting up, vomiting, and blue fingers and toes. Such symptoms are a significant cause for concern, as they may indicate the presence of any pathologies. If you notice them in your child, then you should show it to the doctor as soon as possible.

Reasons

So, why does a baby often hiccup after feeding? According to doctors, there can be quite a few reasons, but the most common are the following:

• excessive accumulation of air in the stomach due to improper feeding;
• overfeeding;
• muscle strain;
• thirst and dry mouth;
• flatulence;
• insufficient development of internal organs;
• ARVI;
• nasal congestion;
• parasitic worms in the digestive tract;
• diseases that provoke spasms of the diaphragm.

This is just a small part of why a baby hiccups after breastfeeding. In fact, there are many more reasons. Therefore, before starting to solve a problem, it is very important to first establish its nature.

Excess air accumulation

So what do you need to know about this? As a rule, this happens due to the fact that the baby does not completely capture the nipple during feeding. So ifhe starts hiccuping after eating, then you need to watch how he eats. With artificial feeding, the cause of the problem may lie in an oversized hole in the pacifier. If the reflex is really caused by excessive accumulation of air in the stomach, then there is nothing wrong with that. You just need to replace the pacifier or feed him properly.

Overeating

Why does a newborn baby hiccup after breastfeeding? Let's dwell on this issue in more detail. Many young parents think that the more the baby eats, the better. But this is far from true. When overeating, the stomach increases in size and begins to create pressure on the diaphragm, as a result of which the baby begins to hiccup and may even spit up. At the same time, it is important to understand that this will not happen in individual cases, but everywhere. With artificial feeding, everything is much easier. Parents can control the amount of formula consumed by following the manufacturer's recommendations.

Among the main reasons why babies overeat are:

• Feeding on a schedule not suitable for the baby. The baby may feel hungry before the next meal is scheduled, so he will eat with great greed.
• Mom has too much foremilk. In this case, the baby's stomach fills up faster than he gets to the hind milk, which is rich in fat and nutrition.

For your baby to stop hiccuping, it is very important to control the portion size at each feeding. After all, overeating can lead to manyother more serious problems.

Meteorism

So, you are sure that there is no overeating, but the baby hiccups after breastfeeding. With what it can be connected? Let's dwell on this in more detail. Another common problem is increased gas formation in the intestines. At the same time, the baby will also experience pain in the tummy and colic, as well as belching. The main cause of the reflex lies in the mother, namely in her malnutrition. Therefore, it is necessary to completely revise your daily diet, excluding the following products from it:

• chocolate;
• cabbage;
• any nuts;
• legumes;
• soda;
• baked goods;
• pickled and s alted vegetables.

When artificial feeding, you need to replace the mixture. But it is better not to experiment, but to consult a qualified specialist.

Hypothermia

If a newborn baby hiccups after breastfeeding, this does not mean at all that he has any he alth problems. Perhaps he just froze, and this is a completely natural response of the body, not only in young children, but also in adults.

Most parents will immediately start dressing their child warmer or wrapping them in a blanket, but, as many pediatricians say, this is wrong. The thing is that hiccups are not associated with the cold itself, but with the fact that the child's body is just beginning to adapt to the environment. With hypothermia, the operation of the thermoregulation mechanism is adjusted. Do not interfere with this, as this will negatively affect resistance to negative factors. The best way out in this situation would be a light massage, which will normalize blood circulation. And the hiccups will disappear after a certain period of time on their own.

How can I help my baby?

So, the baby hiccups after feeding, what should I do? First of all, you need to calm down and understand for yourself that this process is not some kind of disease. This is a common situation that every parent faces on a regular basis. It will usually stop on its own after a few minutes without any action on your part.

It's a completely different matter if the baby is naughty at the same time, cries and cannot fall asleep. In this case, action must be taken. The contraction of the diaphragm makes babies uncomfortable, and in some cases can even scare them. Therefore, to calm the baby, you should take it in your arms, holding the body upright. This will make it easier for excess food and air to escape. To improve well-being, you can do a light back massage. If that doesn't help, try drinking warm water or fennel tea.

If the baby has severe hiccups after breastfeeding, and also has colic and bloating, then special medicines for newborns should be given. Among the best are "Sub-simplex" and "Espumizan". After taking the drugs, you need to massage the tummy. It stimulates the removal of accumulated gas, thanks tomaking the symptoms disappear much faster.

When to sound the alarm?

This aspect should be given special attention. Above, it was discussed in detail why the baby hiccups after breastfeeding. In the vast majority of cases, there is no cause for concern. However, if diaphragmatic spasm occurs with each feeding and does not disappear for a long time, then you should consult a doctor. It is not recommended to take any measures on your own, as only a qualified specialist can make an accurate diagnosis.

Hiccups can be caused by various serious pathologies that require immediate treatment. These include the following:

• various liver pathologies;
• inflammation of the respiratory organs;
• gastritis;
• gastric ulcer;
• parasitic diseases;
• pneumonia;
• tonsillitis;
• destruction of nerve endings;
• aortic aneurysm;
• CNS damage.

At the appointment, the pediatrician will first listen to the parents, after which they will conduct a general examination and refer them to the necessary laboratory tests. After the reason why the baby hiccups after feeding is established, the doctor will select the most optimal therapy program.

Recommendations of Dr. Komarovsky

A well-known domestic pediatrician is convinced that hiccups are a common occurrence that does not require medical attention. You should only worry if it does not pass for three hours or more, andalso accompanied by colic and abdominal pain.

Komarovsky is convinced that hiccups have nothing to do with hypothermia. In most cases, the baby's body adapts to new temperature conditions. To help the baby, the pediatrician recommends giving the baby a little drink or going for a walk in the fresh air.

Prevention measures

If a baby often hiccups after feeding, then you can take some measures to get rid of it. Qualified professionals recommend the following:

1. When formula-fed, formulas should be given to babies on demand. This will prevent overeating.
2. Throughout the entire period of lactation, the mother must adhere to a special diet.
3. If you have too much first milk, express it a little before breastfeeding.
4. Feeding babies is best when they are in high spirits.
5. To get rid of hiccups, it is very important to properly breastfeed your baby. And with artificial feeding, a certain angle must be observed.
6. After eating, do not immediately put the baby in the crib. Let him stay upright on his hands for a while.
7. Maintain the optimal temperature in the living room so that the baby is comfortable and does not experience either cold or heat.

These simple tips will help reduce your chances of developing hiccups. Therefore, it is recommendedstick to them during the first months of life, which are the most problematic.

General tips and tricks

If a baby hiccups after each feeding, then you can try to solve the problem using some folk methods. First, wait 10 minutes, and if the condition does not return to normal, try the following:

1. Put the baby on its feet, take his hands and put them behind his head. Then give ten sips of water to drink.
2. Let your baby eat a quarter teaspoon of granulated sugar.
3. Inhale the baby, raise your arms and slightly pull them up, then lower them down as you exhale.
4. Gently grasp the tip of the tongue, pull it out slightly and hold the baby's breath for a few seconds.
5. Another excellent product for hiccups is lemon. Let your baby eat one slice sprinkled with sugar.

These seemingly simple methods are very effective in controlling hiccups in young children. They have been tested by more than one generation, so they work 100 percent. But in any case, it will be useful to consult a pediatrician along the way.

What not to do?

Today, on the net you can find a huge amount of advice on how to rid a baby of hiccups. However, some of them do not work, while others are contraindicated. Doctors advise against the following:

1. It is forbidden to smear the tongue with vinegar or mustard. This can cause spasm of the larynx or lead to the developmentallergies.
2. It is forbidden to give s alt to babies. This food product is very harmful to the child's body.
3. Don't artificially induce a gag reflex. Firstly, it will not help in any way with vomiting, and secondly, it can be harmful to mental he alth.
4. Give valerian or Corvalol. Medicines intended for adults are contraindicated for children.

And, of course, don't try to beat the hiccups by being scared. Unless, of course, you want your baby to remain a stutter for life.

Conclusion

This article gave a detailed answer to the question of why the baby hiccups after breastfeeding. As you can see, there is nothing wrong with this. In most cases, the process stops on its own after a few minutes. But if it does not disappear for a couple of hours or more, then you should think about showing your baby to the doctor, since hiccups may indicate the presence of some serious pathology. But as practice shows, such a need arises extremely rarely. So you have absolutely nothing to worry about.